Programme management is the process of managing multiple ongoing inter-dependent projects. An example would be that of designing, manufacturing and providing support infrastructure for an automobile manufacturer. This requires hundreds, or even thousands, of separate projects. In an organisation or enterprise, Programme Management also reflects the emphasis on coordinating and prioritising resources across projects, departments, and entities to ensure that resource contention is managed from a global focus.

The UK government has invested heavily in program management. In Europe, the term normally refers to multiple change projects: projects that are designed to deliver benefits to the host organisation.

Programme management provides a layer above project management focusing on selecting the best group of programs, defining them in terms of their constituent projects and providing an infrastructure where projects can be run successfully but leaving project management to the project management community.

Programme management responsibilities can vary. For instance, manufacturing program management responsibilities will be much different than program management responsibilities for a pharmaceutical trial and data collection program.

Key factors in Programme Management

Governance: Programs need a more robust structure and control because of the larger impact their failure can have

Management: At the lowest level project managers co-ordinate individual projects. They are overseen by the Programme Manager who accounts to the Programme Sponsor (or board).

Finances: Tracking of finances is an important part of Programme Management and basic costs together with wider costs of administering the program are all tracked.

Infrastructure: Allocation of resources influences the cost and success of the program. The Programme Management office monitors overall and project specific resource usage.

Planning: Each project manager creates a plan which fits in with the wider plan of the Programme itself.

 

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